Brooch or clasp



E A. PHINNEY BROOCH 0R CLASP April 5, 1932.

Filed Feb. 17, 1951 Patented Apr. 5, 1932 STATES PATENT OFFICE ELISHA A. PHINNEY, or sou'rn ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenoa T one, a. FULLER & son company, or raw'rucxnr, anon]: ISLAND, a oonromrron or RHODE ISLAND BROOCH OR CLASP Application filed February 17, 1931. Serial No. 516,444.

capable of being mounted in position after assembly of the face plate and clasp lever as well as being readily removable therefrom for replacement when damaged or worn, the removability of the spring device permitting initial treatment of the article with the spring removed such as placing in acid baths incident to plating processes which would tend to impair the [character of the spring should the same be initially assembled in the.

structure and permanently mounted in position, the spring device being removable without disturbing the assembly of the face plate and clasp lever.

With the above and other features in view that will-become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings andelaimed.

In the drawings I Figure 1 is a top plan view of a brooch present invention showing an ornamental face plate with the clasp lever at the underside hidden from view;

Figure '2 is an edge elevational view showing the hinged clasp lever at the underside of the face plate with the spring device'associated with the clasp lever, the latter being shown in its closed position and so retained by the spring; a a Figure 3 is a side elevational view with the clasp lever in open position and so retained by the spring device;

} Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the brooch showing the clasp lever hinged thereto;

or clasp constructed in accordance with the Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View,

similar to Figure 5 with the clasp lever inopen position Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 3, showing the hook memto the lever clasp withithe face plate moved to open position; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the lever clasp and comb element in open position.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a brooch or clasp, or similar article of jewelry embodying a face plate with a clasp lever hinged thereto and a spring device readily attachable to the brooch or clasp after assembly of the face plate and clasp lever, the spring device being associated therewith in a manner for holding the clasp lever in either open or closed position. More specifically, the article comprises a face plate 10 that may be of any preferred artistic design or configuration, such as illustrated in Figure 1, to the underside of which a clasp lever 11 is hingedly mounted.

The hinge mounting for the clasp lever- 11 includes across bar 12 suitably secured as by soldering, welding," riveting or the like transversely of the underside of the face plate 10 adjacent one end thereof with an outwardly directed ear 13 at each end of the crossbar between which one end of the clasplever 11 is hingedly mounted upon pins 14, preferably carried by side edges of the clasp lever and entering bearing openings in the ears.

The spring device associated with the clasp lever and face plate requires for its mounting, the provision of a central cut-away portion 15 in the pivoted end of the clasp lever 11, the inner end wall of the cut-away portion 15 carrying an angularly bent hook 16 overlying the inner face of the clasp lever and directed toward the free swinging end thereof. A sec- 0nd hook 17 is carried centrally of the bar 12 at the outer side thereof and is disposed up.- wardly of the lever pivot pins 14:,1the coil spring 18 having one end 19 detachably engaged with the hook 16 and its other end 20 detachably engaged with the hook 17, the coil spring 18 during opening and closing -movement of the clasp lever being moved through the cut away portion 15 and occupying a position as shown in Figure 2 between the face plate 10 and clasp lever 11 when the latter is in its closed position. To limit opening movement of the clasp lever under influence of the spring 18, a pair of lugs 21 depend from the cross-bar 12 to be engaged by the inner hinged end of said clasp lever when the latter is in open position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. i

When the clasp lever 11 is in closed position, the same is so retained by the spring 18 being disposed upwardly'of the pivot pins 14, both hooks l6 and 17 at this time being above the pivot pins 1 L The inner face of the clasp lever 11 carries spaced prongs 22'directed toward the face plate 10 for gripping material more effectively to retain the clasp or brooch in position. When the clasp lever 11 is opened against the tension of the spring 18, the hook 16 engaged by one end of the spring 18 is moved to the same side of the pivot pins 14 as the hook 17, the spring 18 thus retaining the clasp lever 11 in open position. It will be observed that the coil spring 18 maybe readily attached to and disengaged from the brooch or. clasp without disturbing the assembly of the face plate 10 and clasp lever 11, this novel form of spring mounting permitting any acid or heat treatments of the brooch or clasp with the spring device removed therefrom and which would not be possible if the spring formed a permanent part of the brooch construction as such heat or acid treatments would tend to destroy the effectiveness of'the spring and'render the same useless for purposes ascribed thereto.

The invention as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is illustrated as associated with a hair comb element, the face plate 10a being of any appropriate design with the lever clasp 11a hinged thereto, as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7 except that the lever clasp is relatively short and is riveted or otherwise secured as at 24 to the back edge of a comb element 25. The face plate 10a is of a length or design to be moved into clamping contact with the lever clasp 11a and comb element 25 for securely attaching the comb element in position.

' From the above detailed description of the invention, it. is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and 'while there is herein shownand described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood,

- that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim r 1. In an article of the character described, a face plate, a clasp lever hinged thereto, and a coil spring detachably engaged at its ends with the face plate and lever at opposite sides of the lever hinge, and said lever having a cut-away portion at its hinged end through whi ch the intermediate portion of the spring hooks for holding the lever in either open or closed position.

3. In an article of the character described, a face plate, a bar secured transversely of the under side of the face plate with end ears, a clasp lever hinged between the ears, a hook on the bar inwardly of the lever hinge and a hook on the lever outwardly ofthe hinge and a coil spring detachably engaged with the hooks for holding the lever in either open or closed position, and there" being a cut-out portion in the hinged end of the lever through which the spring is movable when the lever is moved from open to closed position.

4. In an article of the character described, a face plate, a bar secured transversely of the under side of the face plate with end cars, a clasp lever hinged between the ears, a-hook on the bar inwardly of the lever hinge and a hook on the lever outwardly of the hinge and a coil spring detachably-engaged with the hooks for holding the lever in either open or closed position, both hooks being disposed at opposite sides of the lever hinge respectively when the lever is opened or closed.

5. In an article of the character described, a face plate, a bar secured transversely of the under side of the face plate with end ears, a clasp lever hinged between the ears, a hook on the bar inwardly of the lever hinge and a hook on the lever outwardly of the hinge and a coil spring detachably engaged with the hooks for holding the lever in either open or closed position, and there being a cut-out,

- hooks being disposed at opposite sides of the lever hinge respectively, whenthe lever is opened or closed.

In testimony whereofI afiix'my signature.

'ELISHA' A. PHINNEY. 

